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Alone in the Dark: Inside Central Park #2

Check out a detailed description and footage of Central Park's Bethesda Terrace.

Alone in the Dark is set in and around New York's sprawling Central Park. Because GameSpy is located in sunny California, far from the Big Apple, we asked developer Eden Studios to fill us in on some of the more prominent places of interest featured in Alone in the Dark's version of Central Park. What follows is a painfully detailed description of one of the buildings in Central Park that will appear in Alone in the Dark as well as a bit of exclusive video (embedded below) showing off Eden's skill at architectural re-creation.

The Angel of Bethesda Terrace is perched vigilantly above the beautifully ornate Bethesda Terrace of Central Park. Surrounding the Terrace is the Lake and the Ramble along the wooded shores. Bethesda Terrace is among the most popular gathering spots for Central Park. As a space specifically designed for people-watching, the spot is a popular center for socialization. Designed in 1873 by Emma Stebbins, the Angel of Bethesda Terrace has the official name of "Angel of Waters." Due to its proximity to the Fountain, the Lake and the overhanging trees leading up to the terrace make the trek to the popular locale a scenic one.

The Angel of Bethesda shares its name with the 1724 book written by Cotton Mather, the Puritan minister from Massachusetts. Mather's book carefully documented medical maladies attributed to spiritual corruption. Mather saw the devil's influence as the demonic source for the physical and mental illnesses he saw around him. Beyond just placing the blame onto the victim for their willful vulnerability to the devil's influence, in the text Mather would prescribe spiritual repentance to purge the devil from the victim's body.